Combination thrust-bearing and fluid seal.



W. J. WOHLENBERG.

COMBINATION THBUST BEARING AND FLUID SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED 11.11.15, 1914.

1 1 22,05 1 Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

ATTORNEYS WALTER J'AGOB WOHLENBERG, 'O-F"U,RBANA, ILLINOIS.

COMBINATION THRUST-BEARING- A N-D FLUID SEAL..

Spectcation o'f Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.-

Appncation mea 'January 15,'1914. serial No. 812,263.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALTER JACOB Worin- Eivnxzo, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Urbana,in the county of Champaign and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Combination Thrust Bearing1 and Fluid Seal, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. i My invention relates to combination thrus bearings and fluid seals'.

An object thereof is to provide a simple, efficient and inexpensive thrust bearing and fluid seal combined in which the thrust is balanced by fluid pressure oppositely directed, with means for automatically adjusting the said oppositely directed fluid pressures.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined thrust bearing and fluid seal wherein the relative position between the rotor and stator is fixed by the fluid pressures oppositely directed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a thrust member having a multicellular arrangement in which the fluid pressure is caused to gradually decrease in each successive cell. I accomplish this and other objects of my invention by the structure conventionally disclosed in the accompanying drawings 1n which similar' characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views and in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal, axial section of an embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the gland displaced under the balancing pressure; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, axial section of a multicellular structure of my device; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4-4, Fig. 3.

Before proceeding to a more detailed description of my invention, it must be clearly understood that while inthe accompanying ldrawing the fluid for balancing the pressure is taken from the stator, an entirely independent fluid can be used and of a different nature from the fluid used in the stator.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, 5 represents the stator casing having an extension 6 forming a fluid chamber 10 having a fluid inlet 7 and a fluid outlet 8 disposed at opposite ends of the chamber and of which the fluid inlet is at the end of the extension further fromthe casing of the stator. The end walls 9 of the chamber each have a 'beveled central ap- `perture l1, the bevels of the said apertures in the end walls being parallel to each other. The extension 6 is also provided within the chamber w1th a central annular flange portion 12, 'the periphery of which flange is beveled 1n the same direction as the apertures 11, but the angularity of the bevel on the flanlge 12 is less than that of the apertures. otatably mounted within the chamber. 10 is a gland 13 formed of a hub 14 rigidly secured to a shaft 15 and provided at 1 ts end with flanges 16 having a beveled periphery adapted to t snugly into the corresponding beveled apertures 11. A central flange 17, also carried by the hub, has its perlphery beveled so as to fit snugly into the flange portion 12 simultaneously when the flanges 16 fit snugly into the aperturesill. The inlet 7 of the chamber 10 is connected by a valve-controlled conduit 18 to the casing of the stator; and the outlet 8 of the chamber 10 is provided with a valve-controlled outlet 19. It will be seen that the inlet and outlet of the chamber are in reality separated by the central flange 17 of the gland. The end thrust T tends to drive the shaft, and, therefore, the gland carried by it, .to a position 'such as to bring` the beveled faces of the gland flanges into contact with the beveled faces of the apertures 11 and the flange portion 12. When driven to this position the chamber 10 is separated into two parts P Q. The end thrust T is resisted by a thrust T (see Fig. 1) caused by the fluid entering the chamber part Q. through the valve-controlled conduit 18; and since the chamber part P is continuously exhausted through the valve-controlled outlet 19, the flange 17 being larger than the flange 16, the thrust T produced by the fluid pressure in the chamber part Q will be larger than T and the gland will have la tendency to move in the direction of the arrow indicating the thrust T, the eXa-ggerated movement of the gland being shown in Fig. 2. The thrusts T and T are balanced by the adjustment of the valves 18 and 19, making the clearance g between the flange 17 and the portion 12 of' the chamber 10 as small as possible, and 'also the cleargularity of the bevels of the flanges 16 and jg 1 '17,'the flow through f will be larger than that through g, the said difference in angu- V larity/at f being great enough to overcome the negative diil'erence in circumferential dimensionof the clearance space g, the rea' son for this being obvious.

In the multi-cellular structure of the api Icp'aratus shown kin Figs. 3 and 4., the same i l14'.r is provided with a ,series of ianges 16 intermediate which flanges other ilanges26l are provided. The consecutive chambers 10 of the extension 6 are each provided' vided with a V-shaped groove 24 engagingr withl beveled central openings 11 engagedl .bythe iangesl, similar to Whathas been clescribedfor Figs.4 land 2. Each .of the .flanges 26 on the peripherythereof 1s pro- 4 a similar annular projection 27 substantiallyY in tlie center of each of the chambers 10 and thus eachof said chambers is divided l by said'flanges 26 into twochamber parts I and Q. 'j Each of the chamber parts .Qv

alsov provided with an annular groove 28 formingzan 'inlet thereto and located about thezflanges 26. The bottom of the V grooves of the flanges 26 is preferably flattened, 'z'. e.,

madey cylindrical so that the' clearance formed between theapex of the projection 27 and the cylindrical-surface of thegroove r24 is constant during the axial displaceg ment fof 'the gland vwithin the extension 6. 'The'refore, no matter what the clearance space 'g" isthe low from the chamber part Qv into'the chamber part P cannot .exceed mined -b theclearance between the apex of` av predetermined maximum, which is deter .the projection 27 j and the cylindrical sury face off'tli" lr; groove 24. -Thethrust 'T tends j the'irst'chamber part Q through the valve- 'p to elimin' e the clearances gand fand to 'increase the clearance g The fluid from i the-high' pressure source is discharged into controlledl conduit 18', increasing the `pressponding chamber part P `is .carried throughthe valve-controlled conduit 22'to' l. the consecutivefchamber part Q', and the corresponding chamberpart P exhausts its fluid into the following chamber part Q',

and lagain 4from its corresponding chamber `part Pf the same isexhausted through the valvelcontrolled outlet 195. 'Thus,'in all chamber parts Pthe fluid pressure drops 57andin all the chamber parts Q` the. Huid pressure increases; therefore the thrust T ',increases` tending to force the gland soy as to close the clearing' spaces gf and cut off the fluid supply to all chamberv arts Q. Such `a disp ac'ement ofthe glan would fincrease the clearance spaces ,f and g and` s raise vthe fluid pressure of the chamber parts l, P. of thesucceeding element. The equilibchamber part Q, and hence the amount of leakage; second, the limitingend positions are independent of the fluid .pressure in-the' source communicating with the initial unit. Furthermore, the valve in the conduits 'can be eliminated, as the inflow to the chamber part Qis controlled'as described. Assuming the thrust T to be zero, the pressure in the chamber part Q? will force Athe rotor back, thus opening the space' f. Fluid will enter the first chamber part P from the stator casing 5 and increase the 'ressure in said chamber part. provided t e How throughf is greater than that through g and gf. In each of the successive units fluid willllow from'Q to Pthrough f. In ,each unitthe opening if is greater than theopening g and g. hus, luid pressure in each chamber partP will increase, and in each chamber part Q will decrease. Between the first chamber part P and the nal lchamber part Q there will now be sets of chamber parts Q- -connected by passages f'.

; area of the gland, and, therefore, has a total force greater than that in the nal chamber part Q. The thrust ,T will, therefore,

vanish and in yits -place the thrust T inlo positedirection w1ll arise." The rotor w1ll p 'now be forced back, thus opening the space` sure therein. The fluid .from the correy gA and closing the space (Q .-This surging action will, continue unti the position o equilibrium is s found. 3 The rate of low through `g may, 'as previously stated, be

vto overcome `the negative difference in ciri connectin be made and modifications resorted to in the construction and arrangement of the parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence, I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction shown.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent: p

1. The combination of a fluid motor having a stator and a rotor with -a thrust bearing and fiuid seal combined, and comprisino' a chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a member within said chamber between the'inlet and the outlet, and asso-` ciated with the rotor, said member and chamber having means dividing said chamber into a plurality of parts adapted to intercommunicate at different levels, and independently controllable conduits connecting certain of said parts of said chamber together, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a fluid motor having a stator and a rotor with a thrust bearing and fluid seal combined, said thrust bearing comprising a fluid chamber forming an extension of the stator and having a fluid inlet and outlet, said chamber having means establishing communication with the stator and the atmosphere, a member within the chamber adapted to enga e the means connecting said Ychamber wit the stator, and the atmosphere, and tending to divide said chamber into separate parts, said parts adapted to communicate successively at different levers, andv controllable conduits certain `of said parts, substantially as escribed.

3. The combination of afluid motor having a stator and a rotor with a thrust bearing and fluid seal combined, `said -latter structure comprising a fluid chamber forming an extension of the stator communicating therewith and with the atmosphere; a member in said chamber controlling its communication with the atmosphere and the'- stator and dividing said chamber into parts adapted to communicate; a fluid inlet to some of the parts and a fluid outlet from the other of the parts,said member being associated with all the movements of the rotor andy controlling the fluid pressure in said parts, whereby the thrust on the rotor within the stator is balanced.

\ 4. The combina-tion of a fluid motor having a stator and a rotor with a thrust bearingk and fluid seal combined, the latter structure comprising a fluid chamber formingan extension o the stator communicatin therewith and with the atmosphere, sai chamber having means therein dividing it "into communicating parts, a member in said chamber adapted to control the communication between the parts, stator and atmosphere, said member dividing said chamber into fluid chamber parts, of the two extreme fluid chamber parts one is adapted to communicate with the atmosphere and the other with the stator, and means establishing communication between certain fluid chamber. parts, the said member being associated with ,the rotor and all its movements, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of a fluid motor having a stator and a rotor with a thrust bearing and Huid. seal combined, the latter structure comprising a fluid chamber forming an' extension of the stator and having openings to the stator and to the atmosphere, and a member Within said chamber carried by the rotor, said member dividing said .cham-.rf

ber into parts adapted to communicate consecutively, means establlshlng communication between the parts spaced from each other by two other parts of the chamber, said member being adapted to participate in all the movements of the rotor, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination of a fluid motor hav-' ing a stator and a rotor with a thrust bearing and liuid seal combined, said thrust bearing comprising a fluid chamber forming.v

an extension of the stator and having means establishing communication with the stator v and the atmosphere, and a member within the-chamber adapted to control the connection of said chamber with the stator and the said chamber into cells, each cell being divided into separate compartments, one of said compartments of each cell having a fluid inlet and the othera fluid outlet, these inlets and outlets being so joined that the outlet of one cell is the inlet to another cell spaced by compartments from the cell having said outlet.

7. The combination of a fluid motor having a stator and a rotor with a thrust bearing and fluid seal combined, the latter structure comprising a fluid chamber forming an extension from the stator adapted to communicate therewith and with the atmosphere. said chamber having a fluid inlet from the stator, and a fluid outlet; a mem- 'ber Within said chamber associated with the rotor and all its movements, said member being positioned between the iuld-lnlet and fluid outlet of said chamber and adapted to 105@ atmosphere, said member tending todivide s :diiference in Huidpressure between the two :parts isobtainedthat it balances the thrust onl the rotor within the stator.

' SLJThe combination of a fluid motor havcommunicatetherewith land ywith theV latmosphere, .said chamber having annular flanges dividing it into a pluralit of parts,

.the alternate parts having a flui inlet'and the others a fluid outlet,a memberm the.

i Y chamber carried by Vthe rotor adapted to .15

control the 'communication of. the chamber with the atmosphere and the stator and also to engage ,the annular flanges whereby it ,controls the communication between the partsof the chamber substantlally as and for the purpose set iorth.

9. The combination of a' iuid motor having a stator and a rotor with a thrust bearing-and'fluid sealv combined, the latter struch ture comprising a fluid chamber forming an extension of the stator connectedtherewith and with the atmosphere; a member 1n said chamber`V associated with the rotor and all its movements, said member divlding the said I chamber into a plurality'ofvparts, of which the alternate parts have a ui'd inletf and the other parts, afluid outlet, sa1dmember and chamber` having co-acting means whereby the flow.l of luid from the stator into the chamberand from the chamber into the atmosphere is controlled, and alsothe flow of Huid between the adjacent parts of 'sad i chamber whereby such a difference of fluid pressure inthe successive parts is obtained that the pressure of the fluid in the chamber on said' member balances'the thrust on the rotor withinwthe Istator.

.1.0. The combination of a Huid motor lhav.-

-- ing a stator and a rotor with a thrust bearing and vfluid seal combined, the latter str ucture comprising a fluid chamber formmg an extension from the stator connected therewith and the atmosphere, said chamber having annular flanges dividing it intoparts; a

member in said chamber controlling the chambers connection with the stator and .the

t atmosphere, 'and having anges engaging said .annular flanges of the chamber,sa1d

` chamber having fluid inlets into some parts and fluid outlet fromthe other parts, the

t axial displacement `of said member within the chamber controlling the 'iiow of fluid from the'inlets to the outletsof the chamber and also the communication ofthe chamber with the stator and the atmosphere, thereby maintaining such a di'erencein fluid pressure between the two parts as to balance the L thrust lon `the rotor within the stator.

11. The combination of a fluid .motor having a stator and a rotor with a thrust bear- Huid seal'combined, the latter strucr'sion from the stator,

`iliaaoln vchambfer. associated with the stator for controlling the Huid inlet chamber between the inlet and outlet, and adapted to'divide said chamber into aplurality of parts adapted to communicate, communication between means for adjusting the fluid low into the parts of the chamber, substantially ask and for the purpose described.

12. The'combination of a fluid motor having astator and a rotorwith a thrust bearing and fluid seal combined, the latter structure comprising anl extension from the stator forming ar Huid chamber connected therewith and to the atmosphere, said chamber having annular flanges dividing it into parts; a 'member in said chamber controllin the chambers connection with the stator and the atmosphere; flanges on said member each aving a groove engaging an annular flange Qf the chamber, said chamber having a Huid inlet disposed about each of 'said anges carried by the member whereby said flangescontrol the fluid inlet in said parts of the chamber, said chamber having a fluid outlet from the other parts, the axial displacementof saidmemberwithin the chamber `controlling the flow of fluid into .said chamber between said parts, from said chamber into the atmosphere and from the stator into said chamber, thereby creating a difference in pressure in said parts of the chamber such and so directed as to create a pressure on said member balancing thethrust on the rotor within the stator..

13. The combination of a Huid motor having a stator and a rotor with a thrust bearing and iuid seal combined, the latter structure comprising a multicellular chamber forming an extension from the stator adapted to communicate therewith and with Vthe atmosphere, said chamber-"having a fluid inlet and Huid outlet, andmeans for distributing theluid pressure through the cells so that the magnitude of pressure variation decreases successively from the inlet to the outlet substantially for the purpose set forth.

14. The combination' of a iuid motor hav.

decreased substantially asand for the purpose set forth. i

15. A fluid sealv and thrust bearing having said means controlling the said parts, and l i a stationary casing forming a chamber surrounding a shaft Whose thrust is to be balanced, a member Within the chamber fixed to the shaft, tending to divide said chamber into cells, means on said member for dividing each cell into tWo compartments, one,

of said compartments of each cell having a fluid inlet and the other a fluid outlet, these inlets and outlets being so joined that the outlet from one cell is the inlet to another cell spaced by two compartments from the compartment of which the outletlforms the inlet to said compartment, and whereby in each cell the inlet compartment contains fluid under higher pressure than the other A1li compartments. l 4

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the'presence of two subscribing Witnesses.-

WALTER 4JACOB WOHLENBERG.

Vitnesses: FRED G. COFFUN',

HENRY T. SCHUMACHER. 

